


Revelry

by pandorabox82



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-20
Updated: 2017-01-13
Packaged: 2018-07-16 03:23:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7250020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandorabox82/pseuds/pandorabox82
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Penelope convinces the rest of the team to attend a masquerade ball, a night of revelry ensues. However, she was not quite planning on how things would eventually turn out for all of them, least of all her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Penelope held the mask up to her face a little tighter, smiling as she looked out over her colleagues. This was the first time that she had managed to get them all to agree to come with her to this fundraiser, even Alex, who was using the trip to heal from her breakup with James. Penelope hadn't found out exactly what had happened between the two of them, she just knew that it hadn't been anything good.

Scanning the crowd, she tried to identify everyone that was important to her. Rossi was easy to spot, since he had chosen not to dress too far out of character, though she had to smile at the fedora that was resting at a rakish angle on his head. Unable to stop herself, she floated down the stairs and over to his side. "Good evening," she murmured, wondering if he would recognize her right away, or if she would have to leave subtle little clues to guide him along.

"Good evening, Kitten. I love your costume, but it gives you away in a heartbeat."

She bit her lip as she shrugged a little. "Well, maybe to you. After all, you're the only one that calls me Kitten. I just incorporated that into my mask. Would you dance with me?"

"Do you really need to ask?" he said lowly as he closed his arm around her waist, pulling her tightly to him as he guided her into the throng of people. As they danced, she found herself still looking for the rest of the team, but found herself unable to identify a single one of them. "Derek's over there, dancing with Savanah. Though it looks like trouble in paradise to me. Look at her body language!"

Penelope followed his gaze and saw that the doctor had dressed in a breathtaking silver gown that reminded her strongly of Ariel's dress at the end of _The Little Mermaid_. And then she saw exactly what Rossi was talking about. The woman's back was stiff as iron, and she was actively positioning her head as far away from Derek as she could, even as she was rapidly speaking to him. "That is not a good thing," she murmured as she snuggled a little closer to the older profiler. "I wonder what they're fighting about?"

The moment the question left her lips, she watched as Savanah reached up and smacked Derek's cheek before storming away. "Do you want to go dance with him, Kitten? He might need some of your solace right about now."

She was about to say yes when a vaguely familiar blonde woman approached him. They stopped dancing and watched them interact. It was clear that Derek didn't recognize the woman, but he smiled at her nonetheless, striking up an easy conversation as he began to dance with her. "I guess that he found his own little honey."

"I guess." They resumed dancing, only to bump into a petite brunette. In a heartbeat, Penelope knew that it was Kate, and she smiled as she let the woman cut in, knowing that she harbored a crush on Rossi. Penelope could only hope that Rossi felt the same way, since she thought that it was high time he moved on from Erin's death.

A deep sigh escaped her lips as she threaded her way through the crowd of people, eager to find the refreshment table. It seemed like she couldn't think of Erin and not get sad, even though it had been almost two years since she had died. There was just something that she missed about her, and she wondered if that hole in her heart would ever be filled by as vexing a woman as Erin was.

At the punch bowl, she found JJ and Hotch, huddled together in a deep conversation. Unable to stop herself, she picked up a glass and sauntered over to their sides, nudging her friend with her hip. "Hey, you two. Does Jessica have the boys for the night?" she asked before taking a sip of punch.

"Actually, Will volunteered to watch over them, PG. I was seriously surprised that he was willing to do that, given how standoffish he's been towards us. It took me aback that this was the time he chose to come around."

Penelope nodded absently, finding her eye drawn to a tall, lanky, man. She thought that it was Reid, since the man was dressed like Sherlock Holmes. The dark haired woman on his arm, though, was an anomaly, and she wondered who it was, wondering if it could be Blake. Before she could move over to their sides, though, they had disappeared into the throng.

Turning back to JJ and Hotch, a question on her lips, Penelope was startled to find them gone. A deep frown curved her lips downwards, and she sighed with frustration. Gazing onto the dance floor, she no longer saw Rossi and Kate. Whipping her head around, she saw that the person she thought to be Reid had disappeared as well, leaving her all alone.

Letting her shoulders slump a little, she grabbed a flute of champagne and sipped at it slowly, scanning the room for a familiar face. Since everyone was wearing masks, she had to try and find them by other means, and yet no one popped out to her.

"Looking for someone, darling?" a husky, low, voice whispered in her ear, and she whirled around to see a woman standing there, dressed in red. The neckline of her gown attracted Penelope's eyes, and she found herself sucking in a shallow breath as her pupils dilated a little with desire. Which threw her off a little, since she hadn't felt that way since her days underground.

"My friends seem to have melted into the crowd, and my dance card is woefully empty," she replied, trying not to blush as the woman reached out and ran her hand up and down Penelope's bare arm.

"Well, it seems like my dance card is empty, too. Would you care to take a turn around the floor?" Without hesitation, Penelope nodded and let the woman lead her out onto the dance floor. There was something intoxicatingly familiar about the eyes behind the mask, and she tried to figure out where she might know the woman from. "I don't think you'll ever guess who I am, darling. That is a mystery that has eluded many a person for a very long time."

Her warm breath fanned out against Penelope's neck, and it was hard to keep her shiver in check. "And do you know who I am?"

"I think that I might have a clue, but I don't want to ask, since I want to let the magic of the night envelope me. Would you mind terribly if we stopped talking for a bit and just danced?"

There was something so incredibly sweet about the way the mystery woman asked the question that Penelope found herself shaking her head. "I find myself wanting to lose myself in the music with you."

"Perfect." The woman pulled her closer and closer until there was hardly room for a piece of paper between them. The heat that she threw off bled into Penelope and she let out a contented sigh before letting her head come to rest on her shoulder as they swayed in time to the music. From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Derek and the blonde that he had picked up. They were also dancing close together, and as she watched, Derek stole a small kiss. "Who are you watching?"

"My best friend. He's dancing with someone that he met here, and I would love to butt in, but I know that would interrupt his groove."

The woman let out a tiny giggle, sliding her hand down just rest on the curve of Penelope's ass. "I take it he has his own little swagger?"

"Mmm, most definitely," she managed to breathe out, arching out her back so that the woman would have a better grip on her ass. "I'm not usually like this, you know. There's something in you that I trust. Maybe it's just that your eyes remind me of someone I lost a few years ago."

She knew that she must have sounded sad, since her masked dance partner stopped and cupped her chin, bringing her face up so that they could look at each other once more. "Try not to be sad at such a happy event." And then, the woman was claiming her lips in a sweet, short, kiss. Penelope wanted her to deepen the kiss, but then they were looking at each other once more.

"I have a room here tonight. I made certain that everyone on my team did, so that we wouldn't have to worry about going home. Would you care to join me?"

There was a slight pause, and Penelope wondered if she had acted too quickly. And while her thoughts still whirled, she received a second kiss. "I would love to join you, my darling Kitty."

"Penny. Call me Penny," she said breathlessly, going in for a third kiss, letting her tongue trace the woman's thin lips. The woman nodded and clasped Penelope's hand tightly, letting her lead her over to the elevators and up to their sweet encounter. She only wondered how the rest of the team's night was going…


	2. Chapter 2

"So, how are you really doing, Dave?" Kate asked as she let her hand come to rest on Dave's shoulder, the music liltingly sweet in the background.

"I'm getting better every day. I still find myself dreaming about Erin, thinking I hear her voice in the corridor when I'm already lost in thought. It's been somewhat easier, since you joined the team, and I don't see Blake all the time. There was just something about her that reminded me too much of Erin in the last few months that she was with us."

She nodded before closing the distance between them, resting her head on his chest and listening to his heart beat. There was something so sweet about this moment in time, as if it were just the two of them, dancing to a music that only they could hear. And so, she didn't recoil when he lifted her chin and captured her lips in a sweet kiss. "Now I know how you got your reputation," she breathlessly teased as the kiss ended.

Dave chuckled a little before shaking his head. "I only ever kissed two women in the BAU. You and Erin. It seems like you have three failed marriages, everyone assumes the worst of you."

"Oh, I never thought that it was a bad thing, Dave. I always thought that you used that persona to keep people at arm's length. It is a rather effective technique."

"Hey, we don't profile our own," he gently reminded her, and she nodded before leaning up and kissing him once more. "Kate?"

"I know. I just like to find out how my fellow teammates keep the public at bay. There's only so much hurt a person can experience before they shut down or come up with a coping mechanism." She gave him a tender smile before stroking his goatee gently. "You know, we could always head up to my room and find a little comfort in each other's arms. I'm certain half the team thinks we've slept together already."

"If they do, I haven't heard anything about it. Believe me, Hotch would tell me if those rumors had reached his ears. But what they don't know, won't hurt them. After all, Erin and I were able to keep things under wraps until the morning of the bank heist."

She nodded and slipped her hand in her pocket, feeling the smooth edge of her plastic key card. "All right then, let's go make some happy memories." Kate slid her hand down his arm to clasp his hand, leading him over to the elevators. As they waited, she looked back to see that Penelope was slow dancing with another woman, their embrace quite intimate.

"Kitten was always good at finding someone who was drawn to her like a moth. I just wonder who has been drawn close to her flame this time?" Dave whispered in her ear, nipping at the shell as the doors opened.

"Would that we could go and find out. However, we are going to scratch an itch that has sprung up between us. Let's focus on that. If it's really something lasting, I'm certain we'll all hear about it in the morning." Kate pressed the button for her floor and then snuggled up close to his side once more.

From the way that he gripped her hips, she knew that she was in for a night of unrivaled pleasure. Turning around, Kate plastered herself against him, feeling dwarfed even in high heels. And then his hands were cupping her ass, lifting her up against his torso. Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around his waist, drawing him ever closer to her core. "You are a feisty woman, aren't you?" he asked roughly before lowering his head to cleavage, his facile tongue slipping beneath the fabric of her gown to lap at the lace of her bra, using the friction to irritate her nipple to a stiff peak.

"And you are going to devour me alive," she replied, throwing her head back as she offered her breasts up to him. He growled a little, his hands starting to fumble with the zipper in her gown, when the doors opened up on her floor. "Pause. Hit pause for just one minute."

Her gasps and moans sounded so loud to her ears as she lowered herself to the ground and pulled out her key. Taking hold of his hand once more, Kate dragged him down to her room and swiftly unlocked it, giggling a little as she felt his hands find their way once more to her zipper as she pushed open the door. "You are delectable," he groaned as the dress pooled on the floor, revealing her matching peach panties and bra.

"Good," she growled out as she threw the deadbolt and stalked over to the bed. "I want to ride you like a cowgirl rides an unbroken mustang. Do you think that you have enough stamina to meet my desires?"

"I rather think that you'll be the one hard pressed to keep up with me," he replied, making short work of his outfit, letting it fall to the floor next to her gown. Kate couldn't keep from licking her lips as he shucked his boxers, revealing just how aroused he already was.

"Oh, my. No wonder Penelope calls you a stallion," she stammered out as he closed the distance between them, his eyes never leaving hers.

He chuckled, and the very sound of it thrilled her to no end. "Caroline always did say I was hung like a horse," he said lowly as he knelt before her, running his hands up and down her thighs as he kept his gaze locked on her. Desire filled her veins as she felt her breathing hitch in her throat. And then, his thumbs were hooking in the lace of her panties, drawing them down her legs, and she began to take shallower breaths as her nipples tightened to hard peaks. "You look delectable, Katie. I could just eat you up."

With those words, he leaned in and began to eat her out. Kate felt her eyes roll up to the top of her head as she reached down and buried one hand in Dave's thick hair, holding him close as her other hand cupped one of her breasts, her fingers closing around her nipple to pinch and stroke in the same rhythm that Dave was flicking her clit with.

Kate barely had time to acknowledge her orgasm, as Dave thrust into her, setting a fast pace for them, and sending her off into a second orgasm. She panted a little as she launched herself up, wrapping her arms around his neck as he settled his hands around her ass. Their lips crashed together as he picked her up and carried her over to the wall. She gasped a little as his thrusts began to become jerky, his own orgasm fast approaching.

She instinctively searched for purchase as they shared a mutual orgasm, and she slid down the wall to collapse in a sprawl on the floor. "Holy fuck, Dave. That was amazing," she panted, her eyes feeling impossibly heavy.

"You were just as amazing, Katie." He reached out and stroked her hair gently before leaning in and capturing her lips in a tender kiss.

"No wonder those rumors about you started circulating." With unsteady legs, she pushed herself to standing, making her way over to the bed and flopping down on it, staring at the ceiling.

He joined her moments later, his breathing still harsh and ragged in her ears. "Erin never complained about our sex life. I think she also talked to Penelope about it, since there were days I would get the weirdest looks from her."

"Do you think about her often?" Kate asked as she turned on her side and snuggled up close to him, hooking her chin over his shoulder, letting his arms circle her waist, pulling her close to him.

"When I do these days, I remember everything good that we had. I think I'll always miss our relationship, and what might have been, but tonight showed me that it's time that I moved on. Hopefully, we can explore where this is going."

"I rather like the sound of that," she whispered before turning her head and placing a blind kiss to the line of his jaw. A wide yawn split her face and she rubbed her cheek against the crook of his neck. "I hope that one of us wakes up early tomorrow morning."

"Why's that?"

"So that we can have morning sex before we have to check out, of course!" she said as she closed her eyes. The last thing she heard before she fell asleep was his deep chuckle, and she smiled, feeling lucky for having this moment.


	3. Chapter 3

"Do you think that Penelope will mind if we sneak off without her?" JJ asked as Aaron led her out onto the dance floor. He shrugged a little before letting his hands slip down her back to cup her ass, tugging her close so that she could feel his arousal.

"Well, I highly doubt that she would want to see us making out like hormonal teenagers, Jen," he growled in her ear as she nodded a little. "Or are you interested in spicing things up a little? I never really thought that you'd be up for something like that."

"You, my love, have been hanging around Rossi way too much for my comfort. And while that may be a fantasy of yours, I am a strict, one person at a time, gal. And you are more than enough for me," she murmured in his ear before letting her tongue trace the inner shell, knowing that the move drove him wild.

"And you are trying my patience, Jen. It's not like we can just sneak off and make love in a closet."

"Did you forget? Penelope got us rooms, once she knew that everyone was coming. Oh, is that Jessica dancing with Morgan? I didn't know that they really knew each other."

"Huh, I didn't either. I suppose that I'll get the full story from her tomorrow."

JJ nodded as she kept an eye on the pair, watching the way that they started dancing closer and closer together. Morgan's hands squeezed her ass a little as he ground against her, and she watched the woman giggle a little as she squirmed into his touches. It seemed as if they had eyes only for each other, as they made their way through the dancing throng and over to the elevators.

JJ was quick to avert her gaze, not wanting Morgan to know that she was watching them, and she listened to her lover laugh a little as he kissed her neck, letting his tongue lap at the rapidly thrumming pulse point there. "I guess I really will have a story, Jen. We'll have to send Henry and Jack outside to play…"

"No, you'll take them out while I get all the details. There is no way that she's going to spill everything to you, even if you are as close to her as her brother is." Shaking her head a little, she pulled back and gave him a lingering kiss. "Now, how about we dance through two more songs and then make our way upstairs as well? There is a bed calling my name, though not for sleep."

JJ made certain to give him a seductive smile, letting her hand slip down his chest to play with his belt buckle, making certain her fingers brushed against the bulge of his erection. He drew in a sharp breath and she leaned in to ghost her lips across the line of his jaw. "Do not tempt me, Jennifer, otherwise I might not be able to hold onto my control."

A soft laugh escaped her lips as she shook her head. "I know you too well for that line to work on me, Aaron. Your will is made of iron, nothing can break it, especially little old me."

She knew that her words were deliberately inflammatory, and she moved away from him to scan the room for the others. In that moment, JJ heard Aaron let out a deep breath, and she smirked, knowing what was coming next. "I rather think you know exactly how to break my will, Jen," he growled in her ear as he tugged her back against him, his fingers tweaking her nipple into a tight peak before he settled his hand onto her hips. "And now we're going to head up to our room. No more dances."

She tried to pout, but was too aroused by his actions to do so. "Just let me say good night to Penelope…" Her voice trailed off as Aaron grabbed hold of her hand and began to drag her over to the elevators. As they waited for a car to arrive, she scanned the room, looking for their team members. The only one she could find was Reid, and he was busy talking and dancing with Blake. Though they were both masked, it wasn't difficult to figure them out, based on their costumes. "Looks like we're not the only ones who are getting lucky tonight."

"What?" Aaron huffed in her ear, his thumb stroking against the curve of her breast, causing her to squirm.

"I think that Reid is going to help Blake rebound from her divorce. Look at how close they're dancing, and the way his lips graze against her neck every so often." Her lover glanced over her shoulder, nodding a little as the elevator binged.

Getting on, she pressed the button for her floor and then leaned back against Aaron's chest, bringing his hands up to cup her breasts, not really caring if there was a camera watching them at the moment. After all, it wasn't like they were fucking in the box, that would be for the privacy of the hotel room.

He seemed to read her mood, as his hands softly kneaded her breasts, just lightly enough to bring her pleasure without arousing her to the point of no return. They tumbled out of the elevator a minute later, and she grabbed hold of his lapel and led him down to her room. It took her far too long to unlock the door, but finally, they were inside, and she threw the deadbolt, her years of training kicking in.

"Jen…"

"Nope, no talking. I want to feel your lips here." She brought his hands up to her chest once more, smiling at him. He swallowed thickly as he nodded, letting his thumbs rub against her nipples for a moment before sliding his hands to her back and quickly undoing the zipper and tugging the dress from her body in one smooth motion.

"Now why does this not surprise me?" Aaron whispered as he stared at her breasts, and she shrugged as the cool air of the room caused her nipples to tighten. And then, he was kneeling ever so slightly, lowering his mouth to her breasts and drawing one turgid peak between his lips, suckling strongly. All rational thought left her mind as she focused on the way that he lapped and nipped at her oversensitive skin, making her moan in pleasure.

Somehow, Aaron got them over to the bed, and he fell back onto it, drawing her down with him. As JJ straddled his body, she began to make quick work of the buttons on his shirt, needing to feel his skin against hers. In a frenzy of motion, they were soon naked and panting excitedly. "Fuck me, Aaron," she whined as she felt his fingers stroke her folds in an infuriatingly slow rhythm, as if he knew that doing so would drive her insane with desire.

"Oh, but where would the fun in that be?" he asked, and she glared at him as she clamped her fingers around his wrist, pulling his hand away before letting her thumb find her clit, stroking it in the rapid strokes that she preferred. "No, Jennifer. You are not to climax until I tell you to."

She shivered with lust at the tone of his voice, and gave him a small nod, removing her hand as she bit her lip in anticipation. Aaron positioned himself between her legs and slowly entered her, keeping his motions shallow and slow, so that all she could focus on was the pleasure that he was building in her. She knew that this orgasm would be incredible, and so she tried to keep from stimulating her body, wanting to see how far out he would draw things.

"I can tell that you're close, Jayje. I can feel the tension running through your body, how you want to slip over the edge of the mountain and fall headlong into the abyss. Focus on the sound of my voice and soon, you'll feel the pleasure."

She nodded and tried to ignore the way the edges of her vision were starting to darken. "I'm so close," she whimpered.

"All right, darling, you may come," he fairly growled in her ear as he thrust into her with sharp, jerky, movements. With a loud wail, she gave herself over to her orgasm, feeling him fall over with her. Her fingernails raked down his back as the orgasm seemed to linger on.

"I hope that I didn't draw blood," she managed to say through her gasps and whimpers.

"It'll heal," he said lowly as he reached up to stroke her hair. "But…let's not try that whole dom/sub thing again. I know that you wanted to try it, but it made me feel uncomfortable." Turning onto his side, he leaned in and kissed her gently.

"Oh, really? Because I thought it was really hot. I've never had an orgasm like that."

His lips eased into a soft smile as he shook his head. "All right, maybe for really special occasions, we can do that, but normally? No."

"I suppose that I can live with that." She snuggled close to him, letting her head come to rest on his chest. "I wonder what it will take to get the full story of what happened tonight from Jessica? I'm sort of curious to know if she knew that was Morgan before she went up to him."

"You'll have to work on her, Jayje. She'll take a little work, since she likes to keep her private life just that – private." She nodded and kissed his chest, letting her tongue snake out to trace the closest scar, letting the afterglow of sex cocoon her in its glow.


	4. Chapter 4

"And just who are you, my little butterfly?"

Jessica thought for a moment, not really knowing how to answer the question Derek posed for her. A part of her wanted to let him know that he knew her, while a larger part wanted to keep some mystery about the evening, in the spirit of a masquerade. "I'm a free spirit that floated into your life for the evening," she finally replied before settling his hand on her hip.

"Ooh, a woman of mystery. Consider me intrigued," he growled as he pulled her flush against his body. "And you are just in luck, since as of two minutes ago, I am officially a free agent."

"That's what I like to hear," she said, trying to purr like Penelope. He chuckled and let his hand creep a little lower to rest on her ass. Jessica found that she didn't mind the touch, welcoming the warmth that it offered her. "Though why any woman would break up with someone like you is beyond me."

"There's more to a relationship than just how a person looks." There was a slight tinge of sadness in his voice, and Jessica frowned as she leaned up and stole a quick kiss.

"And that just proves that you deserve to have the right woman on your arm, even if it is just for an evening."

He cocked his head to one side, as if he had finally recognized her, and she held her breath as she awaited what he would say next. "I'm sorry, you just seem really familiar," he said as he reached up with his free hand and tugged on one of her curls. "And I'm wondering if you're the type of fire that I should be playing with."

"If you're given any heat, I can always make certain that it goes away." She smiled at him as she reached up to make certain that her mask was still firmly in place. "Now, dance me to the edge of love."

"Ah, a Leonard Cohen fan, I like it." He grinned before leading her out into the throng of dancers. The more they danced, the more she found herself falling under his spell, and when a slow song came on, she rested her head against his broad chest, listening to the beat of his heart. Sighing deeply, she looked at the people around them, easily picking out JJ and Hotch. There was something mischievous about the smiles that danced on their lips, and she wondered if this would be the night that a little brother or sister would be conceived for Jack and Henry.

Penelope was the only other person Jessica was able to pick out as they danced, and she found herself gasping a little to see that she was in the arms of another woman, one who looked distractingly familiar. "Derek…"

"Oh, you know my name?" he teased, his hand squeezing her ass a little as he pressed his lips to forehead.

"Yes. And I need to ask…is that Strauss's daughter dancing with Penelope?"

She jerked her head over towards the women, and Derek shook his head after taking a good long look. "No way. That woman is too old to be one of her daughters. But it does look like her, doesn't it?" She nodded and he chuckled a little. "Now, if you're familiar enough with our lives to know who we are, you have to be someone close to us. Isn't that right, Jessica?"

She blushed a little as she nodded. "Guilty."

Derek leaned down and gave her a long, lingering, kiss. "Are you really sure you want to spend the night with me?"

"If I wasn't certain, I wouldn't let you kiss me, or touch my ass. Now, I know that Penelope got everyone rooms tonight, are you going to show me yours?"

"As long as you show me yours," he teased in response, and she arched one eyebrow as she reached up between them to tug the neckline of her dress down low enough to reveal that she wasn't wearing a bra. "Umm, that is a wonderful start."

"I thought that you might like that," she said as she grabbed hold of his hand and led him through the throng of people. There was a slight line for the elevator, and she sighed. "I can't believe this many people want the elevators."

"Well, perhaps we could try the stairs. I'm only on the second floor, after all. Baby Girl knows that heights and I do not get along all too well. And I like elevators even less."

"Oh, that's right, you and Spencer almost had an accident in one."

Derek groaned a little as he shook his head. "I cannot believe that Hotch told you that story. He promised us that he never would."

Jessica shrugged a little as they started up the steps. "I heard it from Penelope, actually. She was trying to make me smile after…" Her voice trailed off as she thought about that moment after Haley's funeral, when she had been sobbing so hard in the bathroom of the hall that she had started to dry heave. The story had brought a little brightness to that awful day, enough where she had gained her composure once more, and she had been so grateful for that.

"Then I guess it was okay she told you," he said lowly, sweet understanding in his voice. The rest of their journey up was spent in contemplative silence, and she found herself tightening her grip on his hand, finding comfort in the size difference.

He led her down the hall, and she smiled to see that he was at the very end, which meant that he would have more windows to look out of, to have the morning sun stream into. "Penelope has good taste."

"Don't I know it." He unlocked the door quickly and led her inside. The first thing he did, once the door was locked, was back her against it, his mouth quickly attacking the neckline of her dress. "But you taste just as good," he muttered as he tugged on her dress. It was loose enough that he could pull it beneath her breasts, revealing her bare flesh.

"Ah," she cried out as his tongue reached out and swiped across her nipple. Jessica arched her back and offered her breasts up to him, needing more. Derek took the hint and nipped at the erect peak before he engulfed her breast with his mouth. She squirmed about until the gown she was wearing was in a heap on the floor before starting to tear off his clothes, needing to feel his skin against hers.

Roughly, he hitched one of her legs up to his waist, his erection pressing against her vulva and sending a wave of pleasure coursing through her. "Do you like this, Jess?" he said huskily as he hooked his hand into the waistband of her lacy panties.

"Yes," she hissed out, moaning as with one quick movement he tore her panties off. As he continued to lavish attention on her chest, they both fumbled with his pants, pushing them down around his feet as he thrust into her with one fluid move. Jessica gasped and moaned as she felt her orgasm build and build, Derek taking care to prolong things for them.

Finally, though, she was cresting, and she came with a primal scream, her nails digging into the muscles of Derek's shoulders as it went on and on. They collapsed into a heap on the floor, and she struggled to catch her breath, feeling like she had just completed a marathon. "I'm going to carry you to the bed now, Jess," he whispered in her ear, and she nodded, wrapping her arm around his neck and relaxing as much as she could.

Jessica squealed a little as she was dropped onto the mattress. Thankfully it was quite soft and she smiled up at him, waiting for him to join her. Instead, he ambled off to the bathroom, and she frowned in confusion as she heard water start to run. Moments later, he returned with a washcloth and gently spread her legs, cleaning her with soft, quick, strokes.

Once she was clean, he threw the washcloth through the open door of the bathroom and then knelt between her legs. "You look delicious," he growled, and she shivered as he leaned in and began to eat her out. Jessica felt as if she was flying, and she was soon whimpering and squirming beneath his touch.

"Derek!" she wailed through another orgasm, her body bowing up as she panted. This time, he wouldn't let her relax, instead, thrusting into her body, his hand grabbing her hips and holding her still as he thrust in and out of her body. It seemed as if she would never come down from her high, but finally the orgasm crested and Derek collapsed atop her, holding her close as he breathed harshly in her ear.

"You're amazing," he said before kissing her. Jessica found something thrilling about being able to taste herself on his lips, and she tugged his face around so that she could kiss him once more.

"I'm glad I took a chance on you, Derek. This was exactly the release that I needed."

"Me, too. Though I don't know what we'll tell the others tomorrow. We're all meeting for brunch before we head home."

"We'll think of something." He kissed her once more, and then pulled the covers up around them, cocooning her in warmth. "You know, if you think that Savannah isn't going to come back, well I'm…"

"Not a second choice, ever. Hotch would kill me if he thought I had treated you badly." She nodded and kissed him before using her weight to turn him onto his side, curving her body to fit his. "Are you ready to sleep?" She nodded as she yawned deeply, feeling the contentment of sleep settle over her heart.


	5. Chapter 5

Reid looked around the room, ready to throttle Garcia. He had no idea how she had even talked him into coming, and he just wished that he could find Blake, knowing that she would commiserate with him about the severe lack of intellectual conversation. His eye landed on Garcia, and he smirked a little to see that she was wearing cat ears, making her a dead giveaway to anyone in their group.

Adjusting the mask on his face, he made to go to her side, only to bump into someone. "Excuse me."

The familiar tones of Blake's voice cause him to pause, and he reached out, touching her shoulder lightly. She looked up into his eyes, her face relaxing into a warm smile as she recognized him. "Finally, I found you," she breathed out, taking a deep breath before stepping close and wrapping her arms around his waist.

There was something a little unsettling about the way that she felt in his arms, as if he didn't really know how he should be reacting. His body was screaming one thing at him, while his mind was yelling another. "I heard about James, I'm sorry."

"Penelope has a big mouth." The words were sharp and clipped, and Reid knew that in her mind she was reciting hip hop lyrics, trying to calm whatever part of her was currently roiling. He nodded slightly before leading her out onto the dance floor. The DJ seemed intent on playing only slow songs that evening, since they were currently on the tenth consecutive one.

Reid let Blake take the lead, not certain what she would feel comfortable with. It shocked him a little when she pulled him flush to her, resting her head on his chest as they swayed in time to the music. "How are you coping?"

"I'm not, I've just made myself so busy that I don't think about personal things." She sighed and rubbed her cheek against his shirt. "Though I find myself missing him less and less as the days go by."

He nodded as he rested his chin atop her head, his hands splaying out on her back. "Have you thought about coming back here?"

Alex shook her head. "I've made a life for myself in Boston. I'm up for tenure already, since I've proven myself in my field. What would I have here? You've already filled my vacancy on the team, after all."

There was a small trace of bitterness in her words, and Reid found himself sad for that. Stepping away from her a tiny fraction, he looked into her eyes, taking in the pain there. And without thinking, he leaned in and kissed her tenderly. It felt right, for reasons that he couldn't quite put his finger on. "They filled it because you gave me your credentials. I kept hoping that you would call me, talk to me, but the silence drove me away."

"I didn't mean to drive you away," she whispered, closing her eyes before resting her head on his chest once more. "I just couldn't be so close to the things that were hurting me any longer. I killed Erin, I almost killed you. It seemed like everything I was touching was being destroyed in front of me, and something just broke. I should have taken a sabbatical."

"Perhaps. But then again, you wouldn't be up for tenure already." He hoped that she understood that he was teasing her, trying to make her feel better, and he relaxed a fraction when she nodded. "Would you want to go somewhere more private and talk?"

The suggestion came out less innocent than he intended, but still, she nodded once more. "Perhaps we could dance through a few more songs, and then I can take you up on that offer? I really like this song, I really like dancing."

"As if I could ever deny you anything, Alex," he murmured before pulling her closer once more. Her perfume tickled his nose, and he breathed in deeply, letting the sensations overwhelm him. He knew that they were playing with fire, but this was a fire that he wanted to touch. She sighed as the song changed to a more upbeat tempo, pulling away from him to fit in more with the others.

"I just wish they'd choose one song tempo. I love slow songs."

He nodded before tugging her closer once more. "Screw them, we're dancing to our own beat," he said, waltzing her around. Somehow, Reid knew that she was smiling as she let her arms wrap around him, one hand draping over his shoulder possessively. "Except you're probably singing along to hip hop once more."

"Surprisingly, no. All I can hear is the beating of your heart, and I'm letting that be my rhythm."

Reid took a deep breath, letting his hand slowly slip lower to caress and cup her ass. She made a low noise of disapproval, so he was quick to raise it to the dip of her waist once more. "I didn't mean to be so forward," he murmured in her ear, feeling her shiver against him.

"Forward is okay, I just don't like my ass being fondled. I prefer my chest. Though, perhaps we should take that sort of behavior upstairs. I'm ready for that. Are you?"

He nodded before reaching for her hand, threading their fingers together. "I am, Alex." She smiled at the use of her first name, and he led her through the crowd, trying to avoid the others of their team that were still on the dance floor. One last look, however, had him finding Penelope, dancing close with a blonde woman. They were so close, and he thought that he saw said mystery woman dip her head and nip at Penelope's neck. "I wonder who that is?" he said as they stepped into the elevator.

"If I didn't know better, I'd swear it was Erin. That ass is hard to forget."

"Yeah, that can't be, seeing as how she's dead and gone," he muttered, feeling Alex stiffen against him. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, I'm just still sensitive over losing her. There are some things that take longer to get over than others. That happens to be one of them, since I never had the opportunity to say goodbye." She rested her head against his shoulder as they rode up to his room.

"I'm sorry, I should have had a little more tact," he said as they got off on his floor. She shrugged a little before following after him. Luckily, his room was close to the elevator, and they were soon behind closed doors. "Here, let me take your mask."

Alex reached behind her head and untied it, handing the scrap of silk over before running the zipper of her dress down her side and stepping out of it. Reid felt his mouth go dry as he looked at her, his groin tightening with desire as he looked at her. "Do you like what you see?" she teased and he nodded before reaching out and brushing his knuckles against the tops of her breasts, watching as her nipples stiffened in reaction.

"I do," he said before pulling her close, his hands fumbling with the clasp of her bra. Soon, it was off, and he lowered his head to run his tongue along the place his fingers had just touched. A soft moan slipped from her lips and he lapped at her soft skin, seeking out one stiff nipple. She arched her back in offering, and he began to suck and nip at her breast while his free hand massaged the soft flesh of her chest, letting his fingers tug and pull at her other nipple.

It didn't take long for her soft moans and coos to turn into louder grunts and groans as she pressed his face into her chest. "Spencer!" she cried out as her orgasm spread across her body. Reid wasn't prepared for the sudden way her body turned boneless, so they both landed in a heap on the floor. Alex clung to him as she shivered and took shallow breaths.

"I have you, Alex," he said as he stroked her hair. She smiled and snuggled in closer to him, her fingers lazily undoing the buttons on his shirt. Reid went to help her out, but she batted his hand away, tugging the tails of the shirt out of his pants and slipping it from his shoulders. "I can help you, you know."

"Where would the fun in that be? And we want to have a good memory of this evening, right?"

"Yes," he replied as he lifted his hips, letting her tug his pants and boxers down his legs. He blushed a little to see how erect he was, but she seemed unfazed by it. Carefully, she straddled him, positioning her body over him. They came together, and he bit his lip as he thrust up to match her rhythm, finding the sweet spot for her quickly. Every time it seemed like one of them was close to orgasm once more, though, Alex pulled back and waited, as if she was trying to prolong their pleasure. Finally, though, he couldn't hold back his orgasm any longer, and he gripped her hips tightly as he thrust up into her.

Flopping back onto the carpet, he stared up into her eyes, finding a peace there that hadn't been there at the start of the evening. "That was wonderful, Spencer. Thank you." He nodded before kissing her softly and then helping her to her feet, leading her over to the bed. They collapsed on it together and she snuggled in close to him, tracing patterns on his chest as her breathing evened out.

"I don't know how I'll explain this to everyone in the morning, but I really think this is the start of something special," he whispered before falling asleep himself.


	6. Chapter 6

"Do you mind if I remove your mask now?" Penelope asked as they took a seat on the bed. There was something hauntingly familiar about the woman, and she just couldn't put her finger on it. She knew, though, that she didn't want to be anywhere else but in her arms that evening, no matter who was behind that mask.

"I'm not certain that you'll like who's behind my mask," the woman said sadly, her head hanging low. Penelope reached out and cupped the woman's chin, raising her face so that she would look at her.

"There's a spark between us, I don't think that anything you're hiding behind a scrap of silk will change that. Do you?" she asked as she reached behind the woman's head and tugged on the ribbon that held it in place. As Penelope watched, the woman's eyes fluttered closed, a pained look overtaking her features, almost as if she was anticipating Penelope rejecting her.

And then, the mask was floating down to her lap, and Penelope found herself staring at a ghost from her past. A tight gasp escaped her lips, even as a smile began to grace her features. "See, I knew this would backfire on me. I'm sorry, I'll go."

Erin went to rise, but Penelope was faster, her hand grabbing tight hold of her wrist as she held the woman on the bed. "No, don't leave me. You've already gone away once, and I need to know if you're really here, or if this is just some delusion of the revelry this evening." Before Erin could say another word, Penelope was pushing her back onto the mattress and capturing her lips in a hungry, yearning, kiss.

She could feel the exact moment that Erin gave in to her, since the woman's body relaxed beneath her, her hands reaching up to pull at the ties on Penelope's mask. "I couldn't stay away any longer. Everything had gone to Hell, I missed you so much, and I missed David, and there was nothing left for me in the new life the Marshals tried to create for me. I know that I'm risking my life, if John had any partners, but I'd rather breathe my last few moments on this Earth as a free woman, in the presence of those that I love, than locked in a cage of fear and doubt. And then you were here, alone, and I reacted boldly. Love me tonight, even if the morning brings about something different?"

The torrent of words swept across Penelope's brain and she cuddled up close to Erin, reaching up to run her fingers through the woman's hair. "I don't think that the morning will change anything, Erin. I missed you, too. I didn't realize that those feelings are deeper than I thought them to be until you kissed me, but there they are. I want to shelter you, protect you. Even if you are a little bit older than I am."

That brought a light laugh to Erin's lips and she nodded before kissing Penelope once more, her tongue fluttering out to tease at her mouth. "Older just means I'm a little more experienced, and that I know what I want. Right?"

"Exactly, my sweet nightingale. You've let your hair grow in the time that you've been gone from us," she said as she helped Erin to sit up.

"And you've lost some weight. It makes you look different. Not better, not worse, just different."

It was so sweet, the way that Erin was trying to make certain that Penelope wasn't insulted by the comment on her weight, and she gave the older woman another quick kiss before helping her to her feet. "Yeah, I went mostly vegan. There are a few things that I can't give up, but treats every now and then never hurt anyone."

Slowly, she began to undress Erin, pressing soft kisses to the bits of skin that she uncovered along the way. "I wrote a book while I was away. Published it under a pen name, and it's making me a little extra money. My main character, Paulina, was based on you. For some reason, I made her vegan. I guess now I know why."

"Wait, are you talking about _It Is Finished_? You wrote that?"

"You read that?" Penelope nodded quickly. "Did you like it?"

"Um, I really want a sequel. So, that would be a yes." Erin gave her a wide smile before shrugging her shoulders, letting the straps of her bra fall off her arms so that the garment would land on the floor. "Though if we end up together, and I can see you like this all the time, neither of us may be getting out of bed any time soon, and there goes any opportunity for writing said sequel."

A soft sigh escaped Erin's lips as she caught her staring, and Penelope shook her head before pressing a tender kiss over the woman's heart. "I've learned to accept my body's limitations of aesthetic beauty, Penny."

"Hmm, well, that's funny, because you look like a goddess to me. And I would wager good money that Dave told you much the same." Erin bit her lip as she gave a small nod. "See, you should listen to us. You are gorgeous." As she breathed out that last sentence, she hooked her fingers into the elastic of Erin's panties and drew them down her body, revealing the soft thatch of blonde hair that covered her mound.

"Well, now that you've managed to bare me physically and emotionally to you, may I reciprocate?" There was something tender and hesitant in Erin's voice, and Penelope found herself nodding as she let her arms fall to her sides, offering herself up to Erin. "I missed seeing all the fun things you'd wear in your hair. That's how I knew who you were tonight. Your ears were a dead giveaway. I missed your laugh, and your stationery, and the fact that you never treated me with pity when I returned from rehab." As Erin spoke, she methodically stripped Penelope, taking time to look and memorize.

"There was nothing to pity, Erin. You were fighting a battle with a demon that is so hard to vanquish. And I admired you so much for coming back and not letting it get you down. Your strength is what helped me through everything that happened these last two years. A small part of me wished that I could have been the one to kill Curtis, for hurting you."

Erin nodded as she knelt on the floor, looking up at Penelope. There were tears in her eyes, and suddenly Penelope had this overwhelming urge to hug her tightly, and squeeze out all the woes of her heart. "You look like I feel, Penny," she breathed out. "Help me up?"

She nodded mutely, grasping Penelope's hand and letting her pull her to her feet. Then, they were embracing tightly, and Penelope seemed to lose the sensation of where she ended and Erin began. "I have you," she whispered in the older woman's ear when she realized that they were both crying.

"I know, I know." Somehow, they both got onto the bed and Penelope sighed as she began to pepper Erin's face with soft kisses, needing to be tender in that moment. "Love me," Erin whispered in her ear, and Penelope nodded before dragging her lips down the column of Erin's neck, keeping her movements slow and decadent and loving.

The moment her lips came in contact with Erin's nipple, the woman bowed up and offered her chest to her. "There is so much more to come," she said as she pushed that hard bud back and forth with her tongue.

Penelope was expecting high pitched coos and grunts to slip from Erin's lips, but she was surprised to hear a low groan tumble out of her. "Don't tease me, Penny."

"But I can't love on you without teasing you a little, darling. Do you like darling? Or would you prefer sweetheart or baby or cheesecake?"

"Cheesecake?" Erin asked, her brow furrowing as she tried to sit up. Penelope nodded as she pushed Erin back onto the mattress. "No, that's not me. Though it would be sweet for Jennifer, perhaps. I did like it when you called me nightingale, earlier."  
"All right, my sweet nightingale, I am going to make you fly to the heavens," she said as she began to make her way farther down Erin's body, swirling her tongue around Erin's belly button before gently parting her legs and pressing her lips against her mons in a reverent kiss. Erin whined as she raised her hips, once more offering herself to Penelope. This time, she took the hint and began to eat Erin out, focusing on her clit, using the moves that she had always found pleasurable.

Penelope could tell the moment that Erin had found the pinnacle of her pleasure, as her body bowed up as her hands grabbed hold of the covers in a tight grip. A strangled gasp escaped her lips, and yet Penelope pushed her on, knowing that she could drive the woman wild if she tried. Finally, though, she flopped back on the bed, gasping and whimpering. "Thank you, Penelope," she murmured as she curled her body around Erin's.

"You are most welcome, my lovely nightingale. Now, we're meeting for breakfast in the morning. Are you going to be okay accompanying me?"

"Yes." The firm, quick, answer told Penelope all she needed to know, and Penelope wrapped an arm around Erin's waist, tugging her close as she fit her chin over the older woman's shoulder. "I want to return to life."

"And I want you by my side."

"Good, because that's where I'm going to be." Penelope kissed her once more, and then they were pulling the covers up around their shoulders before twining their legs together, leaving no room for anyone or anything between them as the gentle call of sleep fell over them.


	7. Chapter 7

In the morning, Penelope was woken up by the sound of water running. Knowing that Erin was in the shower, she smiled and bounded out of bed, intent on joining her. When she opened the bathroom door, she heard Erin warbling happily, and sighed slightly as she pulled back the curtain and stepped inside.

"Good morning, Penny," Erin said as she turned to face her. There was something so lovely about seeing her like this, free of makeup, water streaming down her skin, and she stepped closer, capturing the older woman's lips in a tender kiss.

"Good morning, Erin. Um, I didn't even think to get your bag moved so that you'd have something to wear this morning. I suppose that I can make something of mine work."

"That sounds perfect. I wasn't really planning on staying, so my keys are in the pocket of the dress. Would you come home with me?" Again, there was a sweet hesitancy in Erin's voice, and Penelope knew that she had to reassure the woman, and quickly.

"Did you actually think you were going home alone? I want to wake up in your bed tomorrow morning and have a lazy Sunday breakfast. I want to cuddle up close to you as you read _The New York Times_ and I check out Tumblr on my tablet. And I would not be adverse to a little Sunday morning sex, either."

The happy smile that broke on Erin's face made Penelope feel butterflies in her stomach, and with her focus on something else, she didn't realize that Erin had backed her against the wall of the shower until her back hit the cold tile, immediately pebbling her nipples. "I love morning sex," she whispered before kissing her hungrily. "But we should really get clean now, so that I don't lose my nerve in facing the others."

Penelope nodded a little before switching places with Erin, letting the water soak her hair as she watched the older woman soap up. Somehow, they both got clean, and then they were drying each other off before heading back into the bedroom.

Kneeling on the floor, Penelope pulled out clean undergarments for herself, tugging them on before pulling out clothes for herself and Erin. Thankfully, she had chosen a dress with a sash, and she thrust that out to Erin before quickly dressing in a blouse and skirt. And then they were walking out of the room together, Erin's hand tightly clasping hers.

As they waited for the elevator to come, she could tell that Erin was getting more nervous, as her thumb was drumming a steady tattoo against the back of her hand. "We'll be fine, I promise you."

"That still doesn't mean that I'm not nervous," she whispered as the door slid open. As Penelope peeked in, she noticed JJ and Hotch wrapped up in a heated embrace. "And that would be why," Erin squeaked out as the couple looked up and locked eyes with them.

"Erin?" Hotch finally asked, stepping forward a little, reaching out to touch her arm. "How?"

"I'd figured out it was Curtis, long before you did. I needed to get into WitSec, so that you could focus on bringing him down. However, the Red Cell team wasn't quite certain that he was the end of the matter, and I've been holed up there ever since. I was like a lark in a cage, no longer able to sing." She stepped closer to Penelope, seeking her out, and Penelope smiled a little as she wrapped her arm around Erin's waist, drawing her close as they stepped into the elevator.

"And she happened to seek me out last night," Penelope chirped as tugged Erin into the far corner of the elevator. Silence fell over the car as it smoothly rode down to the lobby. To her surprise, Hotch took hold of Erin's hand the moment the doors opened, guiding her over to the breakfast nook while JJ and Penelope stared after him. "Okay, why is your boyfriend taking off with my girlfriend?"

"I have not a clue. Come on." JJ clasped her hand and fairly dragged her off behind Hotch. As they entered the small room, Penelope took a deep breath as she saw everyone else from their team staring at her new lover. "Yep, she's alive, people. Just like Emily. Now, let's move on."

JJ let go of her hand and stalked over to the food, quickly filling a plate before sitting at one of the empty tables. That seemed to break the tension of the room, and Erin glanced back at her, a tentative smile on her lips. Penelope took the invitation and scurried over to her lover's side, standing as close as she possibly dared. "I wonder who will be the first one to come up to us with questions?" she murmured in Erin's ear as they went over to the buffet.

Erin shrugged a little as she picked up a plate and started to fill it with fruit and a few pieces of toast. "I don't know if I'll have answers for them, beyond that with you, I feel happy and safe." The honesty in Erin's voice overjoyed her, and Penelope nodded as she copied Erin, putting almost the same things on her plate.

They took a seat with JJ and Hotch, Erin scooting her chair closer to Penelope, as if she needed the closeness, to keep the stares at bay. From the corner of her eye, she saw Derek push away from the table and amble over to them. Shaking her head a little, she pointed to the free chair left at the table, and he plopped down, just staring at Erin. "If you take a picture, it might last longer, Sugar," Penelope finally said, knocking shoulders with her lover.

"I'm sorry, it's just a lot to take in," he finally drawled out before poking Erin gently on the arm. "It seems like we've all made new connections last night. Did Baby Girl take care of you?"

She felt a little put off that Derek was focused on her lover, only to smile when she heard Erin's words. "Yes, she made me feel very special. I couldn't ask for a more considerate lover." Erin rested her head on Penelope's shoulder and let out a tiny sigh. "And is that Jessica I see over there? Why did you abandon her?" she teased.

Derek blushed a little as he looked over at Jessica, waving her over. The other woman grinned as she stood and made her way over, pulling up another chair and siting close to Derek. "It is so good to see you alive and well, ma'am."

"It's good to be alive and well. I trust that you had as pleasant an evening as I did."

Jessica nodded as she hooked her arm through Derek's. "It was quite…stimulating, to say the least. Like walking in the rain after a long drought."

"Umm, that is the perfect description," Erin practically purred as she dropped her hand onto Penelope's knee, trailing her fingers up and down her leg. Penelope couldn't help but squirm under the light touches and coughed discreetly as the rest of their team joined the table, pulling up chairs to make it a tight, cozy, fit. The only downside, that Penelope could see, was that it allowed Erin to creep closer and closer to her core.

"Ah, bella, how did I know that you would end up in Kitten's arms after all this time?"

"Wait, you knew she was alive?" Penelope asked, trying not to squeak as Erin skimmed her fingers back down her thigh. Dave looked at them lecherously, as if he knew what the woman was doing to her.

"I was the one who helped cover up her death. She needed someone to confirm things, and while I knew that it meant saying goodbye to her, I wanted her to be alive and safe." He gazed into Erin's eyes, and tender love seemed to fill the air between them. Yet for some reason, Penelope wasn't jealous, as it didn't seem to be a romantic love any longer. "I'm just happy that she ended up with you."

"And this way, I'll be able to get to know the you of today," Alex said softly, her gaze never quite meeting Erin's, though she was smiling. "I mean, we were close to making amends, right?"

"Yes, Alexandra, we were." They smiled at each other before Erin turned her head and kissed Penelope's cheek. "If you don't mind, I'm going to run up to our room and pack. I'll meet you in the lobby in twenty, Penny?"

"That sounds perfect," she replied as she watched Erin stand up. She was barely out the door of the nook when Penelope let out a disconsolate sigh.

"You should go after her, Baby Girl. I know that you want to."

She rolled her eyes at him. "I'm not that bad. Besides, our revels now are ended."

"Shakespeare never met a woman like Erin. Go after her, Kitten. You might be pleasantly surprised at the revelry that she has in her at this time of the day." Rossi gave her a knowing look, and that was all it took to have her pushing the chair away from the table, an eager look on her face. "Really, the two of you make a lovely couple."

"Thanks," she called out as she rushed towards the door, suddenly eager to be back in the arms of new lover. And a small part of her was already wishing that their revelry would never end.


End file.
